Calypso
Calypso by Henri Lehmann (1869)
Wikimedia CommonsPublic Domain
Overview
Calypso, the “Concealer,” was a daughter of the Titan Atlas. She was a nymph or goddess who lived on the remote island of Ogygia.
Calypso was known for saving Odysseus after he was shipwrecked on his journey home from the Trojan War. She kept him with her for seven years, during which time she tried to convince him to become her husband. But Odysseus’ only desire was to return home, and Calypso, bowing to the will of Zeus, was finally forced to release him.
Odysseus’ decision to leave Calypso is usually interpreted as a rejection of divinity in favor of human existence, with all its joys and sorrows. Calypso has remained a familiar figure in the West, appearing in numerous works of literature, art, and cinema.[1]